Combined mail-box and milk-bottle holder.



F. T. WAKEFIELD.

COMBINED MAIL BOX AND MILK BOTTLE HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED mm, I915.

' 1,154,900. I PatentedSept. 28, 1915.

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FRANK 'r. WAKEFIELD; or FAIRHAVEN; PENNSYLVANIA.

COMBINED MAIL-BOX AND MILK-BQTTLE non nn Specificationof Letters-Patent;

Application filed January 7, 1915 SerialNo, 957.

To all whom it may concern: a

Be it known that I, FRANK T. WAKEFIELD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fairhaven, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have, invented cer tain new and useful Improvements in Conibined Mail-Boxes and Milk-Bottle Holders, of which the following is a specification. This invention relates to certain new useful improvements in combined mailbox and'milk bottle holder. 7 I

The primary object of this invention is to provide a receptacle for mail, andinconnecy tion therewith, a supporting rack in. which amilk bottle may be readily positioned, supp Q h l i a d o k gai st be ng re: moved by any unauthorized person; 7 I A further object is to provide a device for preventing theft of milk bottles which are delivered to the customer and arecommonly left by the milk dealer upon a door-step or other convenient'place, the device being in the formof a rack in whichoneor more milk bottles may be; quickly positioned, being supported by the top bead or flange of the bottle, while the bottle is locked against removal and is prevented from being spilled and also from beingtamperedwith at the mouth thereof. 1 p i, l

A still fur e obi s Of th in en i n is to provide. a milk bottle rack secured beneath such a horizontal support as the bottom of a mail boX, a bottle being readily position able Within the rack by a locking catch thereof manually shifted intoposition, butbeing incapable of being released until the ma l box or upper side of thesupport is rendered accessibla I, With these general objects in view others that will appear as thenature of the invention-is better understood, the. samecone sists the novel combination andarranga ment of parts heneinaftermorejfully described, illustrated in the accompany ng rawi g and et -1 h n. t e a p ded claims. g 1

ln the drawings forming aypart of this application and in which l k d s gn fiil characters. refer to corresponding; parts throughout the severalvviewskfliigure "l s a perspective view of themilk bottle rack attached tea mail box, the latter be ng suit,-

ably secured, tothe all of ahouse. Fig, 2

is a central l tu nal ve tic l sec a view through an end' portion of the mailbox and the bottle rack. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional View through a similar endportion of the mail box showing the lockinglatch for the bottle rack in plan in its lockedposition, and being shownin dotted lines as positi'oned when unlocked. Fig. iis a trans: verse vertical sectional'view taken-upon line "of Fig. 2, and showing the rack in end elevation in dotted lines as released, the milk bottle being broken away, and, Fig. 5 is a perspective view on a somewhat smaller scale, of the inner side of the mailbox lid or cover detached from the box. 7

While the present invention is primarily designed for securing supported milk botr ties. against" theft, it is also contemplated thatfth'e latch mechanism for the bottle rack be inclo'se'd Within a receptacle such as a mail box" l0,uso that the bottle such as 11, which is illustrated as being mounted in the rack Patented Sept. 28,1915.

l2, can only be released by gaining access to 'niountin'g said rack 12' thereon in a horizon tal position. lVherefastened to the side of a1house as shown, screws or like fastening means may be used,being passed through,

les 16 provided therefor in the rear wall Qf s e The rack consists mainly of a metallic arch .or Uysh'aped' frame 17 secured in a 7 horizontal positionparallel with the bottom .of the "mail boX by means ofopposite posts 18 'at the free ends .of the parallel'sides lQof the frame and alsoby an end'p ost' 20 their inner edges 22 for the reception of the frame, the spacing betweenthe bottom of the boxand the rack being such as to permit the entrance of the mouth end of the bottle 11.

The sides 19 ofthe frame are also spaced sufficiently far apart for allowingthe neck of the milk bottle llto be readily slidwitlr in the frame and between the sides 19 thereof and'with the top bead or flange of the w bottle slidably seated uponthe frame sides as best illustrated in Fig. 4:, it being noted.

that the said sides are preferably beveled at their inner edges22 for the reception of the bottle flange. I A slightly curved locking bar 38 is mounted on the posts 18 for normally closing the open'end of thefranie l7 and is vertically shiftable upon the posts 18 by means of the openings 37 in the said ban-while a central A pin 23. is carried by the said bar and slidably projects upwardly througha bottom perforation 24 in the mail box adjacent the end 25 thereof. v x I A swinging latch 26 ispivoted to a pin 27 Within the box on the bottom thereofadjacent the end 25 of the box, and has ahandle 20 covering the perforation 24, as best illusor free end 28-projecting through a slot 29 in the said box end 25, whereby the latch may be readily shlfted for covering or untrated in Fig. 3. A. locking latch 30 is i i pivoted as at 81 within the'box to the end 7 25 thereofand has a bottom shoulder 31 engageable with a laterally projecting arm' 32 of the latch 26 when the latter is seated over the perforation 24, while the catch '30 has a handle. 33 at the free end thereof by means of which the catch'30' may belifted out of engagement with the latch'26, as

best illustrated in Fig. 4, whereby the latch may be shifted away from'the said perforation by slidablyr moving the latch handle,

V vice, the complete operation thereof will be i which will then allow the lock bar38 and removably securing therein an advertising card as 34 that will beexposed to View at all times when the lid 13 is in its open position. 7 p I From this detailed description of the de apparent, it being understood that the mail box is normally retained closedby a padlock or equivalent locking deviceBG, while the latch 26 leaves the perforation normally uncovered, the catch30 being released and freely resting of its own weight upon the upper face of the arm 32 and disengaged therefrom. This normal position of the members allows the milkman to readily ele vate'the locking bar 38 and slidably position the milk bottle or bottlesin the rack. When the bottleis sopositioned, the latch handle 28 is shifted by hand to move the latch 26 to its locked position over the perforation 24 and pin 23 as shown in Fig. 3,

whereupon the catch 30 drops into its engagement with the latch'arm 32, thus looking the latch 26 against further movement and securing the lock bar 38in its position,

closing the open end of the rack frame. Whenthebottle or bottles are, so locked within the frame, it will be seen that an unauthorized removal therefrom is impossible, while the bottle or bottles can be only slightly tilted and insufiiciently to spill the contents thereof; also that the top of the bottle is in too close proximity to thebottom of the box to allow any removal of or tampering with its contents.

The bottle or bottles are removed by re leasing the loclr 36 and opening the box lid 13 for gaining access to the catch mechanismxand when the catch 30 is elevated, the latch 26 may be shifted so as to uncover perlock 'bar 38 The latch 26 is permitted to remain in this unlocked position, so asto be again ready for the reception of milk bottles. It is of course apparent that one or more bottles may be positioned in the rack herein illustrated, whilethe rack may be secured to any otherf'orm of receptacle orsupport if desired, such as a door, window-sill or ledge.

lVhile the form of the invention herein shown and described is what is believed to be the preferred embodiment thereof, it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. What I claim as new is '1. Adevice of the class described comprising in combination with a receptacle having a perforation therethrough, a bottle engaging supporting frame secured beneath the bottom thereof, a shiftable lock bar upon said frame, a finger carried by the bar and projecting through the said bottom perforatiomand coacting latch and catch members lockingly mounted within said receptacle with respect to said finger and perforation. I v

2. In combination with a support having a'perforation therethrough, a milk bottle prising in combination with a receptacle havinga bottom provided with a perforation and an end provided with a slot, a bot- 'tle supporting rack secured to the said bottom and having an open end, a 'shiftable closing bar for the said end, a finger upon said bar projecting within. the said perforation, a latch pivoted to the upper face of said bottom' shiftable across the said perforation and having a free end'projecting outwardly through the said slot, and a piv- V 80 foration 2l,'and allow the elevating of the oted catch carried by the inner face of an end wall of said receptacle and shiftable in the path of movement of the said latch.

41:. A device of the class described comprising a support, a U-shaped frame mounted upon said support and spaced therefrom, a lock bar shiftably mounted spanning the open end of the said frame, a finger carried by said bar, a shiftable latch carried by said support having a path of movement transversely of the free end of said finger,

and an automatic engaging catch for the said latch.

5. A device of the class described comprising a horizontal support having a perforation therethrou a U-shaped frame positioned in parallel side .of said support and having therinner edges of the sides thereof beveled, securing posts between the said frame and support,

relation to the lower a lock bar spanning the open end of the said frame and movable vertically on two of face of the said support and having a path of movement across the said perforation and provided with a projecting handle at its free end and with a laterally projecting stop arm, a pivoted catch automatically engageable with the said arm when the latch is in its locked position over the said perforation, and an operating handle for the said catch.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK T. WAKEFIELD. Witnesses:

GEORGE J .Bnoxnn, CARL SCHWARM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

